


I Am Your Sinner

by UnforeseenUndeniable, zistysfosgerald



Category: Motionless in White (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Student/Teacher, Anal Sex, Bottom Chris, Bottom Vinny, But he obviously will, Chris might like him, M/M, Or we wouldn't have a story, Oral Sex, Teacher-Student Relationship, Top Chris, Vinny is new
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-11
Updated: 2015-01-11
Packaged: 2018-03-07 03:33:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3159659
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnforeseenUndeniable/pseuds/UnforeseenUndeniable, https://archiveofourown.org/users/zistysfosgerald/pseuds/zistysfosgerald
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the divorce, Vinny's life hadn't been the same. He didn't let it get to him too much, though. He wasn't a kid anymore, he understood that his parents had fallen out of love a long time ago. He was determined to take this in stride and show the world he wouldn't be broken. He was glad the fighting was over. However, he wasn't sure how he felt about moving to Pennsylvania with his dad. He was seventeen, and he didn't really want to make a life in Scranton. That's when he encountered Chris.</p><p>Chris's home environment was pretty shitty, if he had a say. He wasn't even sure if his parents still loved each other or him and his sister, for that matter. In between keeping the neighbors from being too suspicious and comforting his mother when his father went on one of his tirades, Chris's grades took a shot. He didn't want to fail his last year of high school; he had to get out of that sick cycle so he could focus on what he loved most. His Calculus teacher gave him an alternative.</p><p>Image</p><p>*NC-17 Content<br/>*BDSM Themes?<br/>*Triggering Scenarios<br/>*Parental Abuse</p><p>Title Credits: In This Moment - Whore</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. There's a look in your eyes... (Chris)

"Chris! Chris, get up!" I felt my sister jump on me.

"Chris!" I attempted to shove her off in my tired state.

"Chris! Come on! It's almost nine!" Luana shook me completely from my sleep.

"What?" I asked groggily. There was no way I heard her correctly.

"It's 8:50!"

"What?" I sat up as fast as my nest of sheets allowed me.

"We're late." She stated without a hint of amusement to give away a lie.

"Ah, shit..." I (almost) clambered out of bed, the covers catching my legs and throwing me upside down on the floor.

Luana sighed and muttered something about a 'disappointment to humanity' as I struggled to free myself. At least the impact woke me up.

"Hey, you could've woken me up earlier!" I tried to pull her own fault out of it.

She stuttered a bit, "What? Fuck you. I could've just left, but I was nice enough to come get you."

"Yeah? You sure you didn't wake up late?" I teased, pulling a random shirt over my head.

"I can't help it! The power went out, okay? The alarm didn't go off..." She crossed her arms and looked the other way as I pulled up my pants (that I thought I wore yesterday, but I was sort of in a hurry).

That explained why my alarm didn't sound, either. I guessed my brain just assumed it was Saturday instead of Wednesday.

We rushed for the door once I had my keys. I had to drop Luana off at her school first, which will probably put me behind another fifteen minutes. It was times like these I really wished my brother Jason was still living with us, but he left us behind a while ago. I did not blame him because I planned on doing the same thing after graduation. I loved my sister, but I could not force myself to stay here.

Once I got to the high school, I did not bother rushing to get to class. At this point, it changed nothing. So, I more calmly gathered my Calc book from my locker and made my way to the office for a pass. It was that or detention, and I really did not want to get detention with Mr. Thompson.

I walked reluctantly into my Calculus class, presented the pink late slip to Thompson, noting the almost disappointed look he gave me, and went to my seat beside my friend Ryan. He did not even realize I was there as his face was buried in his arms, which were folded over his desk. It did not surprise me that he was asleep; he suffered through gym first thing so he was always sleeping through math.

He at least managed to hook himself a girlfriend who knew what she was doing. I was not so lucky.

My only grace was that there was only ten minutes left of second period. I could get the notes from someone later. I was just tapping anxiously on my textbook, questioning why I even got it in the first place since I knew I would not use it. Gazing out the window, the ticking of the clock on the wall drowned out the sound of flipping papers and squeaking chalk.

Time could not pass any slower, could it?

"You are dismissed," Thompson picked up the eraser and cleared the board.

"Thank fucking-" I breathed, getting ready to wake up Ryan.

"Chris!" Fuck.

"What... sir?" I addressed through grit teeth like I was taught.

"I'll need to see you at lunch," Thompson said with no excuse.

I just stared at him in disbelief. But - the note!

He quirked his eyebrow at me in a familiar, authoritative gesture. It was his way of inquiring if I was honestly challenging him.

"Okay..." I let out a disgruntled breath.

Fuck.

He nodded once I confirmed our meeting, "wake up your friend, get to class."

I pushed my textbook off my desk, suddenly feeling too tired to give a shit. The sound jolted Ryan from his sleep.

"Nine-eleven!" He screamed, I sighed.

"Grab the book, let's go..." I did not care if he did or not, I could just get it later anyway, right?

I slung my bag over my shoulder and trudged out into the hall. Ryan was grumbling something about not being my pack mule on his way out, my textbook missing from his hands. I paused, Ryan smacking into me with a grunt, but I did not move.

Ricky, another friend, was talking to someone I had not seen before. I thought it was odd, surely. Ricky was not exactly a social butterfly, and to find him speaking to the new kid was strange.

Ryan noticed, too, "who the fuck is that?"

"I don't know..." I shrugged, sizing up the fresh meat.

He looked younger, but Ricky was good example of deceptive appearances himself, so I did not think too much of it. His hair was dark and short, wrapped in a bandanna that was going to get him yelled at to take off later. He was taller than Ricky (which was not hard), but shorter than me. Maybe around Ryan's height. His skin was fair, soft sienna eyes holding an amused glimmer as he spoke. He dressed a lot like my friends and I, in black and band merch.

Ricky seemed okay with him. I guessed nothing was too wrong with the new kid, then. I could admit he was kind of cute, too. But that was not a huge accomplishment, I mean, I thought Ricky and our buddy Devin were cute, too. Some things were merely fact.

Ryan and I made out way up to the two. I threw my arm around Rick's small shoulders and used him as an armrest.

"Hey, Ricky, who's your friend?" I asked, looming over them. I was not sure why but it was like an automatic response to intimidate new people.

"Hey," Ricky was not phased. "This is Vinny."

"Uh, hey..." Vinny greeted nervously.

"This is Chris and Ryan," Rick gestured to us both, respectively.

"Yeah, welcome to Hell," I offered my hand to shake.

Vinny's lips curved into a crooked smile, taking my hand. "I'm sure it's a pleasure."

"Probably not."

Ryan laughed, "don't sell yourself so short!"

"You would know?" Ricky teased, but I left them to it.

Vinny was not affected Ryan's words and our eyes locked for tense moment.

I like this kid.


	2. Go Away. (Vinny)

I didn't want to wake up and know that I was in a house that only one parent was in. My dad.

I had no problem with him, I just wish I didn't have to move out of state. I liked my old school and my old friends (even though I only had five friends). That's because they were homophobic there and my mom suggested that I move with my dad. I just think she wanted me out of her hair so she could party all night.

"Wake up kiddo!" My dad said as he lightly tapped me on my forehead.

"But I want to stay asleep!"

"Too bad! You've got school!"

"Ugh fine." I sighed as I rolled off my bed and onto the floor. I could hear snickering coming closer to my room. It was my older brother G. Well his real name is Giovanni, but we call him G for some odd reason. He was actually my half brother (we share the same dad). That's why he went with us and I sometimes wish he wasn't my dad's kid.

"What?" I said once I stood up.

"You're such a freak! You know that right? You're the one who caused dad and your whore of a mother to break up! You made dad sad! Fuckin' freak!" Yeah I will admit his words were like daggers into my heart, but I should be used to it.

"Whatever." I muttered to myself as soon as he left my room.

Great! Now I really think I caused them to get a divorce! I should be dead anyway, but I couldn't come to do it. I was this close to jumping, but I couldn't leave my friends. But now I left them in a completely different way. I moved because of the divorce to some shitty town that I know no one.

|·|·|·|

I walked to school because there was no way I could deal with my brother driving me. Once I started walking, I noticed a kid around my height, my weight but he looked like he was straight. Hopefully he wasn't homophobic. I say to myself as he saw me and smiled.

"Hey! I'm Ricky! You must be the new neighbor boy!"

"Hi... um. Yeah. I'm Vinnie." I say awkwardly and we started walking to school together.

"So, I'll show you around if you want? The school's pretty big. I remember when I was new, I had a hard time finding my classes." his smile was comforting and I really hope we could be friends.

"Yeah. That'd be cool!" I smiled back.

|·|·|·|

Once we got to the school, I could see he wasn't lying. It was fucking HUGE. My old school was smaller and we only had about five hundred students, but this school had to at least have five thousand students.

"Hey Ricky?"

"Yeah?"

"How many students are in the school?"

"Hm. I'd say about... Too many to count." He laughed and I laughed along with him.

This was going to be hard for me. Hopefully I can make more friends! I say to myself as we walked into the school. This was going to be really hard to cope with all these students. Great!


	3. Whore

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> By: Se7en

Vinny turned out to be a pretty alright dude. Ricky's intuition was impeccable. That said, though, I was not going to believe the kid was some perfect little angel. I was open to giving him a fair chance, but I was not going to be surprised if he did something stupid. That suspicion lead me to the conversation I now found myself in.

"I just don't want another TJ case, okay?" I defended myself when Ricky pushed me into English and called me out for acting the way I had.

"TJ was trouble from the start," Ricky agreed. "I don't expect you to trust him right away, but you don't need to act like that."

I dropped my bag beside my desk, "I'm not against him, alright? I'll give him a shot, but I'm just warning you in case shit hits the fan. Again."

"I'm not saying things can't go wrong, but he's a good guy, Chris," Ricky chose his side.

"Look, I gave you an equal shot when you were new even though Ryan and Balz wanted to kick your ass. I said I'd give the guy a chance. Forgive me for being weary!" I argued as Ricky took his seat.

"If only you would use that vocabulary in your essays, Mr. Cerulli, now sit down," the gruff woman that was our Literature teacher demanded.

"Yeah, Cerulli, sit down," Ricky mocked with a wolfish grin. The wiggly little worm had set me up...

"I'm g-" I feigned a shot, pulling my arm back and lurching forward. I had gotten close to actually hitting him, but Ricky did not flinch.

"Sit-!"

"Yeah! I know!" I cut off the old bitch, complying to her previous command.

I did my best to ignore Ricky's cat-like snickering. I smirked at the obviously implied "pussy" comment. He was the reason I preferred dogs. At least they did not plot against you and get violent for little reason.

Yeah, that's Ricky.

"Alright," the woman took off her glasses to address the class as the last student scrambled in. "Books opened to Act II, page 72!"

"Ah, shit," I groaned.

"You don't have your book..." Ricky understood without a glance.

"Well, sorry, okay? The Crucible is fucking boring as shit," I tried to keep my voice down.

"It's not that bad," Ricky shrugged.

"You didn't have to rewrite that goddamn summary on the first act three times until Lady Hag got bored of torturing me."

Ricky, whose eyes had been trained on the front of the room, looked away hastily as the teacher glanced up and forced him to hide his amusement in a split second. It resulted in an interesting sound from his sinuses that made me laugh.

"What the fuck?" I whispered.

"What's so funny?" The teacher accused, peering down at us from over her book.

"Nothing..."

She paused, "Chris, where is your play?"

Then, it was my turn to pause and Ricky's turn to laugh.

"No... comprende... inglés?" I did not even bother to be clever and decided to just ground myself.

"One; you don't speak Spanish. Two; find someone to share with and don't let me hear another sound from your direction!" She roared, causing some of the front-row students to jump.

Fuck. Me.

Image

My only saving grace of the day was Miss. Lucia, the Anthropology teacher. I had her with Devin and Balz just before lunch, which I dreaded. Her full name was Amandine Lucia and she was just as saucy and foreign as her name suggested. Needless to say, all the freshmen boys were pissed when they found out they had to wait until the end of their high school career to be in a class with her.

Of all the teachers I could have gotten involved with, why couldn't it have been her? I asked myself for possibly the millionth time.

That's right, I'm not in danger of failing the year all because of her class.

"Fuck..." I swore as the bell for lunch rang.

"Dismissed!" Amandine chimed cheerfully, her bright red lips turning up in a pleasant smile as she leaned over to grab a stack of books.

Balz released a low whistle under his breath as we passed her desk, all three of us getting a wondrous view of her ass. Devin sighed, rolling his shoulders as if exasperated by our gawking.

"Don't even pretend you didn't stare!" I jabbed him with my arm.

"I'm not saying I didn't, but sometimes I'm more interested in where she got that dress," he went fabulous on us. "And how the hell she managed to stuff her tits into it."

"I know, right?" Balz grinned crookedly.

"I don't know," I started. "I find it more interesting to wonder how it's legal for her to wear that with an ass so-"

"'Donkin'? Fuck yeah!" Balz cut me off.

"You two are pigs," Devin shook his head.

"She's hot, dude," Balz defended.

My grin faded as we walked passed the Calculus classroom. Swearing to myself, I hesitated and gained their attention.

"What?" Balz asked what was so important as to stop our conversation about Miss. Lucia's decidedly awesome rear-end.

"I gotta get my Calc book," I told them distantly, knowing it was not a lie.

"Oh - alright...? We'll meet you there?"

"Yeah."

I grabbed the handle, glad I could not see through the little window thanks to the posters Drayden taped over it to lighten up the room. I lowered my head for a thoughtful moment before turning my wrist and pushing the door open just enough to peer in.

He sat at his desk, calmly stroking the bottom of his tie in thought as he tapped the tip of his pen on the corner of (probably) some kid's homework. His dark brown hair was gelled up like some greaser from the '80's, a thing I learned to be his way of maintaining a part of his youth. He was Drayden Thompson, the math teacher. All the girls ogled at the bulging muscles under his shirt and the strong, broad shoulders holding up his tall frame.

I say that, yet I was taller than he was.

The man was hot. Amandine Lucia hot. The difference being the obvious gender swap and the fact that he was all-American. He was a genius, which was why he was the Calc teacher. Why he taught in a high school was beyond my understanding, but I had come to realize he did everything for a reason.

The man was calculated. (Puns aside...)

I slipped into the room, leaving the door open in hopes it would negate any actions or movements I did not really want to deal with. Drayden glanced over, bronze eyes tracking over me in a second before meeting my apprehensive gaze.

I really was not down for it today.

"Chris..." he acknowledged, pushing the other side of the pen on his desk with a click and set it aside.

"So..." I hated that: standing there like a deer in the headlights, unable to do anything but twiddle my thumbs.

"What am I in for?" I skirted around my immediate first thought as I recalled the last few times I jumped to conclusions and gotten what I wanted to skip anyway.

"Why were you late?" Drayden questioned with a reflection of doubt.

"There was a storm last night and our power went out..."

"You slept in?" Drayden concluded with an air of suspicion.

"Yeah." I stated dumbly, unable to grasp what he thought I was doing instead.

"Is that the truth?"

"What else would I have done? You of all people know how fucking strapped I am!" I did not mind raising my voice. No one was left in the halls to hear, at least, not anyone who cared.

"Calm down, I'm just teasing you," the devil shot me a serpentine smirk.

"You burn villages." I accused to grind him, but I knew it never got anywhere with him.

"Come here, Chris," he extended his hand to beckon to me.

"I was really hoping this was academic," I knew it was wishful thinking...

"If you think about it, it is," Drayden's lips curled back into a demon's grin.

"That's not Kosher..." I grumbled under my breath mostly to lighten my own mood.

As I stepped up to his desk, he spun in his chair to regard me straight on. His hands were clasped like a lock across his chest like the evil mastermind he was.

"Unzip your jacket," he did not waste anymore of my time.

Fuck.

Begrudgingly, I pursed my lips and complied. Hesitating, I reached for the zipper of my hoodie, which was only up halfway and pulled it down the remaining length. It fell away to reveal the rest of my Slipknot shirt.

After an intrusive inspection, he reached out with his palm facing out to loop his fingers under my belt so his knuckles brushed my dick. I rolled my eyes despite myself as he rose, pulling me towards him. However, this was normal.

Pressing me back against his desk with his hips, I threw my chin to the side as his face got close to mine.

Hello? No. You're wasting my lunch for this, buddy.

"We're playing that game again, are we?"

I just ignored him. I was adamant that he was not getting the better of me this time. However, I cursed that pride when his experienced hands roamed up the sides of my thighs to slip under my shirt, and his breath ghosted over the base of my neck like a predator moving in for the kill. I was determined to keep my hands to myself.

Drayden's lips latched onto my flesh like a leech, my immediate response being to snap my eyes shut and stop my arms from moving. My fingers twitched. I slammed them into the side of his desk to control them.

What did I just say?

"Don't be so eager," the devil hissed.

"Fuck off," I retorted lowly.

"What?"

I looked up to the door, where the indignant pitch had originated. There, Ricky and Vinny stood with wide, uncertain eyes.

I shoved Drayden from me, but he was already backing off. Ricky shook his head as if it would clear the image before him like some sort of Etch A Sketch.

"I..." he began, sounding bewildered.

"I fell," Drayden interrupted, "don't think such obscenities here. This is not the place."

"I..." I knew Ricky was not bought. "I need church..."

He turned post-haste and disappeared from view, leaving a stunned Vinny staring agape at us.


	4. What is going on?

"I..." Ricky began, obviously shocked like I was.

"I fell," the teacher interrupted, "don't think such obscenities here. This is not the place."

"I..." Ricky stated. "I need church..."

I was shocked then and there by their actions. What should I do? Should I go tell and have him hate me like my old school did? Or should I keep quiet about something so wrong and frowned upon?

"Listen, Vinny. I like you and if you tell, then you're going to pay. Big time. So please just keep your mouth shut if you know what's best for you. Alright? Let's go,"

Chris then takes my hand like a mad man and we leave the classroom.

"Hey Chris, I don't think I can keep this a secret, it's morally wrong..."

"No, you better fucking keep it a secret or no more Mr nice guy. Got it?" He slammed me against the locker and I've never had that happen to me, at all. Why would he do something like that to me? All I said was that I don't think I can keep it a secret... Maybe this school is just like my old one?

"Where the hell are we going?" I asked as we ran down the hallway. His hand still had a tight grip on my wrist.

"We're going to the woods, our hangout!" Chris cheered as we made it out of the school. Josh gave us a weird look as he ran after us, along with Ricky and Ryan.

"Chris! Wait up! My fat ass can't catch up with you!" Josh called out after us and that made me giggle because he wasn't even fat.

"Shut up Balz, you know where we're going!" Chris screamed which hurt my ears as I almost tripped over a crack.

"But-" Josh was saying until Ricky slapped him in the back of the head. He obviously knew what Josh was going to say. Something about me.

Why was Chris so interested in a guy like me? A guy who only lives with an abusive brother and only one parent? I'm nothing special but I know for a fact that Chris doesn't like me like that. He must be straight, for someone that attractive he must be.

"Can we st-op for a sec-ond?" I asked and Chris immediately stopped. Thank god, I say to myself as I slowly catch my breath. My heart was pounding through my chest and I felt like I was going to pass out.

"You okay man?" Chris asked as he put his arm around me. I could feel this tingle of feelings between us but I tried to ignore them, hopefully he didn't feel them either. I guess he didn't because he kept his arm around me until Josh and the guys caught up with us.

"Ch-ris, wh-y the he-ll did you bring his ass here?" Josh asked rudely and Ricky slapped him upside the head.

"That was rude Balz, and I brought him here because I want to make him one of us," Chris smiled along with Devin and Ricky. Ryan just stared at me with a blank facial expression and Josh rolled his eyes. I could tell Josh nor Ryan liked me. Ricky did, hell we're neighbors. I think he's got to get along with me..Devin is too chill to care if I'm part of the group or not.

"Okay, to get into our club called 'Motionless In White', you have to get punched in the face." Chris informed me and I nodded. This should be easy, I smiled to myself until Chris began to talk again.

"Oh and you have to let one of us kick you in the balls. I know that's a little too much, but it's part of the tradition. No exceptions," Chris informed me and my eyes my eyes went wide.  
I didn't want to get kicked in the balls, but I wanted to be friends with them. Hell I wanted to even be friends with Josh and Ryan! I like friends, but maybe this was going way too fast for me?

"Are you ready, Vinny?" Chris asked and I nodded even though I wasn't really ready.

"Okay, Balz, Ryan old his arms in case he falls. Vinny, do you want the punch or kick first?" Chris asked me and I started choking on my words.

"I'll pi-"

"Vinny!"

I heard my name being called and when I snapped back into reality.

"I..." Ricky said before pausing to look the other way. "I need church..." with that he walked away, leaving me stunned to see the teacher practically on top of Chris.

"I... I won't say anything, I promise." I promised and Chris winked at me.

God, I really need to go home and take a nice bath, I said to myself before walking away.

What the hell is going on in my mind? Now I'm starting to think that I need church...


	5. Darling, What is Going On?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> By: Se7en

Although embarrassing as it was, Vinny and Ricky provided the perfect opening for me to slip out from Drayden's grasp. My Calculus book could be retrieved another day. I mean, that's what Ricky was for, right? Maybe even new students who could prove themselves useful...

That was something I contemplated on my way to the cafeteria. Vinny followed at a distance and Ricky was nowhere in sight. I would probably get shit for that whole fiasco later.

I pushed open the lunchroom door and sought out my friends. All the way in the corner closest to the food and overlooking the rest of the room. Most people didn't consider it worth it to try and take it from us. We were the scary goth kids, after all. Sitting at our table world probably result in some sort of demonic curse to fall upon you and your loved ones.

"There he is!" I heard Balz and watched him make a sweeping gesture in my direction.

Covered by his hood, my childhood friend Angelo turned to regard me. Balz went on, "why don't you listen to me?"

In Angelo's defense, "well, you're the one who's always saying he wants to eat someone! I can't be certain you didn't grill up Chris for lunch until I see with my own eyes."

"You're getting a little paranoid there, buddy," I pat him on the back as I reached them.

"Hey, listen..." Ange held up his hand. "I haven't slept... for more than three hours in four days... consider it a miracle I can still drive."

"Maybe I should take you home today, man..." I mutter honestly.

I wasn't the only one feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders. Angelo and I shared that. The difference was he had a baby screaming at home, and I had gotten myself mixed up and blackmailed by a teacher. Considering the circumstances, I figured we were doing pretty okay. Not great, perhaps, but it could always be worse.

"I'm fine," he just brushed me off, though.

"So, you wanna tell us what this is about?" Balz nudged his chin at Vinny, who seemed kind of lost or confused or scared.

One of those.

"Oh, you followed me all the way here?" I turned to him. "You got some balls, dude."

"What?" He was definitely confused, at least.

"Most people drop dead before they make it this far," Balz set up the sticks. "... or they piss themselves and run off."

"Don't we wish?" Devin, stashed away in the corner, murmured.

"Is he the sacrifice for Balz so he won't eat your flesh?" Angelo looked up with a dazed expression.

"What...?" I didn't know what he was talking about. "No... Balz, are you trying to eat me?"

"Not yet," he leaned back in his seat.

I ignored that. Maybe I should cast off Vinny. Balz was just going to be a dick and Ryan was being quiet, which wasn't a good sign. On top of that, Ange was crossing into the realm of the sleep-deprived-insane, making me nervous to think what out of character shit he'd end up doing. As for me, I wasn't positive of my ability to deal with him right now. I had enough on my plate, I shouldn't have to worry about holding his hand so he doesn't trip or get his ass kicked. Plus, I had to be careful. I didn't need him ratting me out to the rest of the guys. I didn't want them to know of my endeavors with Drayden.

"Ah," I popped my back, "this is Vinny."

What can I say? I'm a saint.

"Saint of chicanery and misgivings maybe..." Angelo retorted once awhile ago.

"Uh, hey," Vinny offered a short wave.

"Well, sit," I told him as I fell into my seat next to Angelo. Vinny took the one beside me at the very end.

"You don't eat...?" He asked lowly, as if cautious of his words like they would offend us somehow.

"How do you think we keep our slender physiques?" Balz chirped with dripping sarcasm.

"The line is just too long right now. There's no point in waiting up there half the period when you could spend the same amount of time hanging out with your friends at a table because, you know, laziness." I shrug with no extra attention to Balz's comment.

"Oh," Vinny observed the lunch line as it snaked all the way back to the doors.

"You smell..." Angelo started casually, "... like... the math room."

For an instant, my blood ran cold. "What? How would I even- why would you even know what that smells like? What does that smell like? Calculators and Aspirin?"

"Nah..." Ange closed his eyes, "smells like... I don't know. Cologne, I guess."

I silently cursed Drayden and his lack of proximity control.

"How...?" I sighed because even if that asshole had been all over me there was no way...

"I'm really tired-high right now, just trust me. My senses have been diminished and enhanced all at the same time," he explains.

I shook my head in response. He needed some sleep. I could take him back to my place after school to let him crash on my couch. It wasn't like my parents would be home to argue otherwise.

"Careful," Balz warned. "Wild Ange is more dangerous than he appears."

I would be prone to agree with that.

"At least I'm not trying to eat him!"

"Why would I eat him? Look at him! He's too bony!" Thanks Balz.

"What the fuck?" Ricky's voice caught my attention as he slunk around the table to the last seat in between Devin and Ryan.

"Balz is trying to eat Chris," Angelo attempted to explain this... situation.

"No! He's so tired he's seeing shit, and I'm just saying Chris wouldn't exactly be fine-dining," Balz argued.

Ricky ran his fingers through his hair in exasperation. I was almost amused by the thought that I had something to do with his frayed nerves. I lived to mess with him.

"I think they're both dumb," Devin chimed innocently like it was just a very casual and normal thing to say.

Ricky snorted once and crossed his arms over the table, so he could lay his head on them. Devin was great like that. He just makes you wanna beat his little ass.

"You're dumb," Balz grumbled indignantly.

"I do school things!" Angelo contended drowsily.

It was like they were five, I swore...

"You see Rick?" I got his attention and waved my hand over Vinny. "I'm taking care of your lost puppy. Maybe I'll feed him later."

"You do that," Ricky muttered before the potential occurred to him.

"Wait," he suddenly straightened. "What? What the hell are trying to do to him? I didn't know he was your type."

"You're cute," I reached across the table and tried to pinch him, but he moved away in time.

"I'm getting food," Ryan stood abruptly.

The line had gone down quite a bit since I last looked. After a moment, Devin got up as well.

"Yeah," Angelo slurred through exhaustion. "Food is... s'good..."

"Come on, Ange, let's get lunch," Balz hauled him to his feet and guided him along.

Ricky didn't budge and neither did Vinny. Ricky reburied his face in his arms without a word. He was always tired lately. That seemed to be a pattern among us. Devin and Balz seemed alright, though. Maybe they were just dealing better.

"Not feeling that weird mashed up rice shit today?" I leaned into the table.

"Not particularly..." Ricky grumbled.

"It smells strange," Vinny commented, his head turning to regard some other students walking by with their trays of strange freezer food.

"It tastes strange, too," I warned him.

"I'll just take your word for it..." he smiled a bit crookedly.

Smart man. I glanced up to catch Drayden walking through the rows of tables to the drink freezer. He pulled out a bottle of water and placed the change on the lunch lady's counter. He took to the row our table resided in for his route back, making sure to lock eyes with me on his way passed. I felt a tug on my brows as they pulled downward.

Asshole.

I looked over to see Vinny tracking him, as well. I didn't doubt Ricky also noticed.

Here it comes... I thought. Ricky was going to chew me out for being a whore or something, and that teachers are off-limits, and it's illegal, and it's not like me to fall into such obvious traps, and that he could have been helping me with my homework all this time. I wished we lived in such a perfect world...

To my surprise, there were no angry Rickys or even a feline sound of disapproval. I set my gaze over my should to see his sharp blue sights targeted right on me. I supposed "angry" wasn't the right word. I wasn't sure what was, but it made me dread the end of the day as much as I couldn't wait for it.

Here comes an interrogation from Detective Horror... how wonderful.

Maybe I could sneak off when I grabbed Angelo and took him back to my place. He wouldn't interfere when it came to helping a friend out, right? Maybe it was cowardly since I knew I'd have to face up and talk to him eventually but not today. Not today.


	6. Just Trying to Breathe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> By: Se7en

"Chris."

Ricky's voice snapped like nails pinning me to the lockers. I calmly closed the flimsy, metal door and looked down to meet his eyes. He found me after all...

"Let's not have this conversation in the hall, okay?" I offered while simultaneously thinking of ways to get out of it.

"Where, then? I was hoping somewhere you'd actually sit still and talk to me," he saw through me with a bitter bite to his words.

"Ricky..." I sighed.

"Chris," he hissed, "I'm gonna be honest: I was a lot angrier earlier, but now that I've thought about it I know there's a reason. You aren't fucking stupid. I just want to know what's so bad that you have to resort to... to..."

He flailed for words that wouldn't interest crass ears. I scanned the faces over my friend's head for Angelo. He was my only escape.

"... why wouldn't you tell one of us?" Just like that, I felt like the worst person in the world.

My eyes dropped back down to Ricky's level at the vaguely broken question uttered so quietly I had to replay it in my head to assure I'd heard correctly. There was an unexpected gleam of sadness, as if I'd physically hurt him, that I was ill-prepared to see. There was anger, of course, and disappointment, but the morose ocean left them but sinking shipwrecks.

"I'm..." I stuttered for a moment. "I'm sorry..."

His expression changed like flipping a switch, and he averted his eyes. He muttered something under his breath.

"What?"

"Why?" Fire burned on the water's surface. "'Never apologize,' remember? Especially if you don't mean it."

"Ricky," I felt my brows tug downward. "You don't understand..."

"I'm trying to!" He stepped back, trying not to yell.

"I don't want you to," I told him.

"Wh-!"

"Please," I looked him dead in the eyes. "Just let this go. It's far too late, now. Don't worry about it."

"C- I- bu-" he tripped over himself for a second.

"It's not a big deal," I stopped it anyway, "as long as you don't make it one."

"Chris!" He was so not happy with that.

"Ricky, I know you care and you're worried, and I'm sorry but drop it! It will all be over after finals." I tried to keep my voice calm and push the guilt back up on the shelf.

I hadn't meant to hurt anyone, but I needed him to let this go. After everything's said and done, I might be able to tell him at length. This was something I had to live with on my own. It's the path I chose to walk. I didn't want to concern anyone else, much less get Ricky caught up in it.

Then, there's Vinny...

Wait, there's Vinny! My eyes must have lit up because Ricky shot around like a train was behind him.

"Vinny!" I saw my escape in an unanticipated form as I waved him down.

I felt Ricky's glare but wouldn't see it. Vinny was still impish about everything, there was no way he'd reject me. I could throw down my presence just enough to crack the supports but not to break him. You break them, they go running. I learned that the hard way... or the easy way. Depends on the person, really.

I snaked around Ricky and draped my arm over Vinny's shoulders with a smile. "Hey, man."

"Uh, hi...?" To say Vinny was bewildered would've been an understatement.

"Where're ya goin'?" I inquired as innocently as I could with the weight of Ricky's aggression beating down on my back.

"Uh, home?" Vinny seemed a bit nervous.

I couldn't say I blamed him. I supposed I would be a little fearful if a strange, bigger man suddenly came up and slung his arm around me, too. However, I would also argue that I'd be the one to punch that man in the face these days.

"Cool, have you seen Angelo?" I began walking with him.

"N-no, I..." he stammered uncertainly.

"Wanna help me look? He seriously shouldn't be driving like that, you know?" I guided him outside and down the school's steps.

"Oh, okay, I guess," he agreed hesitantly.

"We don't have to run around the school or anything," I free him. "We can just wait by his car."

"That's kinda creepy?" He commented with an inflection that said he thought better of it too late.

"Well, where's he gonna go, you know? Better safe than sorry," I said. "Didn't you see him? "

"Yeah, he looked pretty fucked up," Vinny recalled.

"I just don't want him getting in a wreck because of all this shit at home," I told him honestly.

"That's... kind of you," Vinny's brows knit together loosely.

I laugh a bit, "you look surprised."

His expression changed to one of alarm, "no! I didn't mean it like that! I was just saying..."

"It's alright," I shrug, "I'm just one of the big, bad goth kids... we don't have feelings..."

Vinny suddenly fell silent. I guessed it struck home with him. I should stop doing that to people. I'm sick of upsetting everyone.

"'Shit at home'?" He eventually asked.

I stare thoughtfully for a moment and frown slightly. No, I wasn't about to pour my heart out to him and throw all of my friend's problems out there, too. I spent another second floundering for a cover-up.

"Parents, you know?" I commented easily and hoped it'd throw him off the trail of pursuit.

"Yeah..." the look in his eyes shifted to something more sullen.

"It's all about getting that damned diploma," I continued as we reach Angelo's car. "'Just keep pushing, it's almost over," or "you don't wanna be one of those kids, do you?" and "how are you gonna support yourself? We can't take care of you forever.'"

"It's all they care about, you know?" I felt my filter falter. "If it isn't about who that boy was with my sister or how much time Dad's spending with that girl at work, it's about why I haven't gotten a girlfriend yet and that girls will only distract me. It's like, make up your fucking minds. Can't you give a shit about something important?"

I kicked a white pebble away, it's presence suddenly irritating me. I wasn't sure what it was, but I didn't feel that tightness to protect my thoughts. Vinny didn't feel strange like that. It was an odd effect, something familiar even though I knew I shouldn't have been telling him anything. He just seemed so... soft, maybe. Laid-back might be better, as if he couldn't be bothered enough to care one way or another.

I decided to shut my mouth and hope he wouldn't pursue it. Luckily for me, he nodded in response but otherwise remained silent. Smart man.

From my periphery, I watched a dark figure meander over to us. Angelo had his hood up with his hands buried in his pockets. He moved without much purpose, probably too tired to even act like he had one.

"Oh..." he released a breath, "what the fuck are you doing? With that one? Are you stalking me?"

"I'm gonna follow you home and eat you and your family," I teased before thinking better of it in light of my buddy's condition.

"Dude," I tried again, "you're not driving. Come on back home with me. We can camp out in the living room like when we were kids."

"Aw," Angelo reached me and slung his arm around my neck. "You love me."

"So much, babe," I smirked in humor.

Angelo grinned crookedly and chuckled a bit, "I don't have my keys anyway."

"What?" I stared incredulously. "Why?"

He shrugged, "I dun'no, man. Probably fucking dropped 'em somewhere or something... Anthropology probably... everything gets dropped in there."

I snickered and pushed him back. It was good to see some inkling of my friend still existed in that sleep-deprived shell of a high school student.

Angelo glanced over at Vinny standing there awkwardly, "right, new kid? You figured that out already, yeah?"

"Uh," Vinny stuttered, "I-I guess..."

"Don't scare the lost pup," I jabbed my elbow into Angelo's ribs. "Ricky'll be mad if you send him running."

"Damn," Ange rolled his neck. "Didn't know he had both you and Rick leashed on him."

I blinked in confusion, "what?"

"Ah," he just threw up his hands. "You're not worthy or tired enough, Grasshopper. Let's go; you have your keys, right?"

"Yeah..." I mumbled and reflexively reached for the pocket that held my car keys.

"Don't even try to jack my car, new kid!" Angelo shouted as he wandered through the parking lot.

"I..." Vinny seemed just as lost.

"I don't know where he's going," I scratch the back of my head thoughtfully. "My car's over there..."

Vinny's gaze followed my finger to the space as far away from the rest of the students' vehicles as I could get. It was purely because people like Angelo existed that I feared its safety. Speaking of, he wandered between random cars, as if he'd already forgotten his momentary goal.

"Is he alright?" Vinny's question surprised me.

"Huh?" I turn my attention back to him. "Yeah... probably. He's just really tired. I'll drop him on the couch and just do homework or something."

"Are you alright?" I spun the question around without much expectation. I was really just trying to be obnoxious yet...

"Fine."

The answer came so suddenly and flatly I paused. Then, the second person today refused to look at me. Did I just have that effect on people or was I missing something? Ricky was pissed about the Drayden thing and...

Oh.

"If you're being all weird because of the... teacher thing, just keep your fucking mouth shut. Hell," I crossed my arms and looked him square in the eyes. "Talk to Ricky. Maybe if he rants to you he won't bother me later."

"I-I... look..." Vinny went from shock to determined in half a second. "... what you do... is what you do. Okay? I don't... care... It's not like I have a reason to, either. You've been, uh, nice to me, so what purpose would there be in blackmailing you or something? Then again, I don't know you, so why shouldn't I?"

For a short moment, he took my breath away. So innocent... so evil. Vinny, Vinny, oh, Vinny, you sly little fox. Maybe we could play sometime.

"Well, if you wanna be that way..." I felt my lips quirk. "The guys and I are having a date night, if you will. It's just gonna be us so no weird girlfriend situations, and we're just gonna hang out, but it's been on the agenda for a couple weeks. We all need a break, you need some friends, how about you come with us? My cordially invited guest." I offered a small bow to complete my proposition.

"... "date night..."?" He muttered in bewilderment.

I was hoping he'd ask. My inner eccentric shined brightest when given an undeniable opportunity to be gay as fuck. I presented a sly grin.

"Oh, we're all quite close around here," I moved to place my arm on his shoulders. "Always there to help one another; private tutoring, special group sessions, clean the gutters..."

"Uh..." Vinny began leaning away from me.

I just smiled, "you can get home okay, friend?"

"Uh-huh..." he replied apprehensively.

"Good!" I slapped his back like the creepy, stoked neighborhood salesman character I was trying to portray.

After that, I let the facade slip. "I'm gonna take care of Ange. It looks like he almost found my car."

I started walking away but called over my shoulder, "we'll talk later!"

"Uh, yeah... bye," I heard Vinny return in a mildly confused manner.

Perfect, I thought happily as I grabbed my friend by the sleeve and guided him over to our ride home. Of course, I'd need to pick up my sister first, but she spent most of her time in her room anyway. I didn't think Angelo's presence would bother her much.

"You should be easier on him," Angelo was saying on the way.

"Hm?" I grunted in acknowledgement.

"You don't have time to be playing with hearts, do you?"

I remained quiet, his words sinking in. I guess I was playing with Vinny a bit. It wasn't like I intended anything to come of it. I didn't think so, anyway. It was no different than when I messed with Ricky or Ange. Angelo always played right back, and we knew it was all fun and games. Ricky would have none of it, and would either make a sarcastically biting remark or just stalk off altogether. He didn't like to play with me...

Vinny didn't seem to get it, but it was expected. I was just being an asshole. I mean... right? Yeah. Totally.

Come on, I don't have time for a fucking relationship.

Vinny was probably straight, anyway. No sweat, no worry. He'd adjust to my eccentricities soon enough. I just hoped everyone else would get used to him...


End file.
